Steam-generating water-spraying flat iron

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a number of improvements in an iron of the steam-generating and water-spraying type. According to these improvements, there is essentially provided an elongated transparent reservoir extending over the whole length of the sole-plate, an unlosable plug fitted in a filling orifice bored in said reservoir, the latter being traversed by a moulded member bearing upon its lower face and containing a vapourizing device provided with a needle valve.

United States Patent 1191 Trouilhet 1 May 22, 1973 [54] STEAM-GENERATING WATER- 2,918,739 12/1959 Clearman ..3s/77.s SPRAYING FLAT IRON 3,162,963 1211964 Knapp ..3a/77.s3 2,963,803 l2/l960 Willman ..38/77.83 [75] Inventor Mme Achm 2,180,523 11/1939 Horton ..3s 77.1

Lyon, France [73] Assignee: Cnlor, Lyon, France Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson [22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1971 Attorney-Frauen T. Carr et al. I

[21] Appl. No.: 197,447 57 ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a number of improve- Foreign Allllllcation ri y Data ,ments in an iron of the steam-generating and water- Nov. 4, 1970 France ..7043760 spraying WP Accmding these l May 11,1971 France ..7l16992 there is essentially Provided an elongated transparent reservoir extending over the whole length of the sole- [5 2] -U.S. Cl ..38/77.5 p an unlosable p ug fi te in a fi g orifice bored [51] IntQCl. "006i, SLO in said reservoir, the latter being traversed by a [58] Field of Search ..38/77.5, 77.8} 77- nnmoulded member bearing upon its lower face and con- 38/77.3, 77.7 taining a vapourizing device provided with a needle valve. [56] References Cited 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,413,741 12/1968 Schwartz et a1. ..38/77.3

, PAIENTEDmez m5 3,733,725

SHEET 0F 5 1 STEAM-GENERATING WATER-SPRAYING FLAT IRON The present invention has for its object a certain number of improvements in a flat iron of the steamgenerating and waterspraying type.

Electric irons of the said type are well known nowadays and have been described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,344,541 and 3,375,599 pertaining to the same applicant.

It is known that such flat irons comprise generally a sole-plate of, for instance, pressure-moulded aluminium, a water reservior mounted above the sole-plate, a housing secured to. the said sole-plate and provided with the handle of the iron, a pump sucking the water from the said reservoir and projecting it ahead of the iron through a spray nozzle, a vapourizing device allowing the water to flow very slowly on the sole-plate in order that it may vapourize and the steam thus formed may escape through orifices provided in the said soleplate, a thermostat for the control of the sole-plate temperature.

However, the above-mentioned elements were difficult to assemble, and it was important to assemble all the parts with sufficient accuracy to ensure perfect fluid-tightness. Owing to this, it was necessary to pro vide a certain number of additional and interdependent parts in order to ensure the accuracy of the assembly and clearances. Consequently, the flat irons thus designed were relatively costly and difficult to disassemble and repair for an inexperienced person.

Moreover, such flat irons were filled from the front. The filling operation was long and inconvenient. In ad dition, when the water in the iron was in a boiling state, dangerous projections of boiling water often took place ahead of the iron.

The improvements according to the invention are mainly directed at avoiding such drawbacks. Indeed, a flat iron improved according to the invention has a very simple structure owing to the reduced number of parts used, most of which are made from plastics, and it is inexpensive and can be readily disassembled by anyone. This last advantage is particularly important when it is necessary to clean the iron and especially the soleplate, which has a tendency to become fouled.

A flat iron provided with the improvements according to the invention is filled and emptied very easily, and any untimely water projection ahead of the iron is avoided.

Thus, according to a first feature of the invention, the reservoir, which is made from transparent plastics and has an elongated shape, extends over substantially the whole length of the sole-plate above the housing fitted on the latter and advantageously forming a heat screen between the sole-plate and the reservoir.

According to another feature of the invention, the reservoir comprises a substantially flat central portion, where the upper and bottom walls of the reservoir are interconnected, for instance stuck, and which is provided with at least one orifice for the passage of the thermostat shaft and a tool.

According to another feature of the invention, the reservoir is provided at its rear with a filling orifice adapted to be closed with a preferably unlosable plug.

According to another feature of the invention, the reservoir is traversed by a moulded plastics member bearing upon the lower face of the said reservoir and containing a vapourizing device provided with a needle valve.

The said needle valve is controlled from the outside of the iron and opens into the sole-plate, advantageously into a slightly sloping chamber provided in the said sole-plate.

Thus, the vapourization of the water reaching the sole-plate takes place under the best possible conditions.

Other purposes, advantages and features of the invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description made with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of example and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view (substantially upon the line I-I of FIG. 3), illustrating all the members and improvements in a flat iron according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the sole-plate and the inner face of the sole-plate closing plate;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the flat iron shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a first form of embodiment of an unlosable plug for the flat-iron reservolr;

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of a second form of embodiment of the unlosable plug;

' FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the vapourizing device, upon the line VI-VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the spray-nozzle supply pump, upon the line VII-VII of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 8 is an axial sectional view of the spray nozzle proper.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 and 3.

The automatic water-spraying vapour-generating electric iron shown in the Figures comprises essentially: a sole-plate 10 on which is applied a closing plate 11; a housing 1 fitted on the sole-plate l0 and retained on the latter by means of a screw 2; a handle 3 retained on the housing 1 by means of screws 4; a reservoir 20 mounted between the handle 3 and the housing 1; a water spraying device 30 located at the front of the iron and comprising a spray nozzle 31; a water vapourizing device 40 located in the sole-plate 10; a thermostat 51, of a type known per se, for instance of the slow-release or quick-release type, maintaining the temperature of the sole-plate 10 at a constant value depending upon the nature of the material to be ironed and adjustable at will by the user by means of a control knob 52; and heating elements (not shown) housed in the sole-plate 10 and the connections of which are seen at 53.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper portion of the handle 3 is closed by a cover 5 made preferably from an injectable thermoplastic material and hinged to the rear of the handle 3. The cover 5 is secured to the front of the latter by means of a screw 6 and a nut 7 is provided with a luminous indicator 8 under which is mounted a signal lamp 9 intended to indicate the heating of the flat iron, as is well known in the art.

The cover 5 also carries, at the front of the iron, the control knob 32 of the pump 33 of the spraying device 30, as well as the actuating knob 41 for the vapourizing device 40.

Lastly, the cover 5 is provided at its rear portion with an opening 54 through which passes the base 55 of a supply cord 56. The cord 56 is of course connected to suitable terminals provided on the plate 57 for the supply of the flat iron with current. It should be observed that the plate 57 is accessible owing to a cover 58 made preferably from thermosetting plastics similar to that of the handle, the said cover being secured by means of a screw 59 to the body of the handle 3.

At 60 there is shown a small plate secured to the rear portion of the sole-plate and extending in prolongation thereof to receive the necessary and prescribed indications concerning the use of the iron.

An improved flat iron according to the invention comprises an elongated reservoir 20 extending above practically the whole surface of the sole-plate and made by way of injection and blowing of a suitable transparent thermoplastic material so as to enable the level of the water in the reservoir to be seen from the outside.

As appears clearly from FIG. 3, a filling and emptying orifice 100 is provided at the rear portion of the reservoir 20, the said orifice being adapted to be closed with a plug.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrating two forms of embodiment of an unlosable plug for the orifice 100 of the reservoir 20.

The plug 110 shown in FIG. 3 is made preferably from an elastomer material enabling it to be readily retained in the orifice 100 of the reservoir 20, and is pro vided with an extension in the form of a supple or flexible bond 11 1 connected with a retaining bar 112 owing to which the plug remains retained on the flat iron when removed from the orifice 100.

A second, more elaborate form of embodiment of an unlosable plug 120 is illustrated in FIG. 5.

The plug is provided with a central screw 121, the threaded portion 122 of which is screwed in a knurled plug 123 bearing upon a small plate, collar or the like 124. Between the screw head 125 and the small plate 124 is located a seal 126 made preferably from an elastomer material, and adapted to be compressed between the small plate 124 and the screw head 125 when the plug 123 is screwed on the screw 121. Such a compression of the seal 126 is obviously capable of closing the orifice 100 of the reservoir 20. As in the previous form of embodiment, the plug 120 is made unlosable by means of a supple or resilient bond 111 and a small retaining bar 112.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it is seen that the reservoir is retained confined between a member 102 containing the vapourizing device 40 and the closing plate 11 of the sole-plate 10, through the medium of a distance piece 42. Advantageously, the distance piece 42 forms a sealing means on the bottom wall 23 of the reservoir 20 as well as the closing plate 11 which is provided a suitable aperture 43 opening into the vapourization chamber 12 of the sole-plate 10. The distance piece 42 is of course made from a suitable heatresisting material, for instance a silicone type elastomer. It is besides in this distance piece that the lower end of the vapourizing device 40 is incorporated, so as to form a needle valve 45 permitting the water in the reservoir 20 to drip into the vapourization chamber 12 as will be described later.

As appears more clearly from FIG. 2, the vapourization chamber 12 of the sole-plate 10 comprises a bottom 13 sloping slightly towards the underpart and frontwards of the sole-plate 10. Indeed, it has been observed that such a sloping position of the bottom 13 of the vapourization chamber greatly favours the vapourization of the water drops falling thereon and sliding down to the bottom of the said chamber, thus ensuring a better surface of contact with the wall 120 of the soleplate heated by the heating element or elements located in the channels 15 of the said sole-plate. The said sole-plate may contain a single tubular heating element (not shown) if the flat iron is of the single-voltage type, but it may also contain two such elements adapted to be connected to either of two supply network voltages, one of which is for instance twice the other.

The closing plate 11 is secured to the sole-plate 10 by means of studs, bolts, nuts, or the like, so as to form steam distribution channels 14, in the bottom of which are provided orifices 16 passing through the sole-plate and through which the steam escapes. As appears clearly from FIG. 2, the channels 14 form a labyrinth, whereas the orifices 16 are slightly higher than the labyrinth with respect to its bottom, so that only steam can escape from the said orifices, to the exclusion of any water contained in the labyrinth.

Referring now more specifically to FIG. 6 illustrating the vapourizing device 40, it is seen that the distance piece 42 is provided at its lower end with lips 42a bearing upon the edge of an orifice of the closing plate 11 and, at its upper end, with a shoulder 42b upon which bears the bottom wall 23 of the reservoir 20. The member 102 containing the device 40 projects by its portion 103 into the reservoir 20. The portion 103 clamps the lower face 23 of the reservoir against the distance piece 42, whereas the upper face 22 of the reservoir is firmly retained in a shoulder 104 of the portion 103. A sealed structure is thus obtained by means of elements which are simply fitted into one another.

A member 44 forming a seat for the needle valve 45 is inserted in the distance piece 42. The member 44, made for instance from a suitable aluminium alloy, comprises in its top portion an inclined guiding surface 46. A needle 47 made from a material such as polytrafluorethylene, is adapted to be imparted a rotary motion together with an axial sliding motion within the seat 44. In a manner known per se, the needle 47 comprises at its end a substantially conical portion 47a adapted to close the flow orifice 44a of the seat 44. A guiding element 48 is provided above the end portion 47a of the needle in order to guide the latter in the cylindrical portion of the seat 44. Above the guiding element 48 the needle valve 45 is provided with a boss, pin or the like 49 which, by bearing upon the inclined guide 46, enables the needle 47, when rotated, to be slightly displaced vertically in order to open or close the passageway for the water through the end orifice of the seat 44. The rotation of the boss 49 is obtained by actuating the knob 41 whose motion is transmitted through the medium of the stem 49a, the ends of which are inserted respectively in the needle valve 45 (at and in the body of the actuating knob 41 (at 71). A spring 72 arranged between the body 71 of the actuating knob 41 and a washer or ring 73 placed on a shoulder of the stem 49a permanently press the needle 47 on its seat 44 while at the same time permitting considerable tolerances in the assembly of the vapourizing device without any prejudice to the fluid-tightness of the needle valve.

The body 71 of the knob 41 is provided with a tongue 74 bearing indications as to the position of the needle, the said positions being visible through a hole provided in the cover 5 and under which the said tongue moves.

It is worth while pointing out that the mounting of the vapourizing device 40 just described enables the opening or closing of the needle valve to be carried out quite independently of the set of various elements mounted between the sole-plate and the handle; moreover, the reliable operation of the valve depends only upon the spring 72 adjusted to an appropriate value.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 7 and 8 to briefly describe the water spraying device 30 at the front of the Hat iron.

The spray nozzle 30 is screwed in a base 34 cast integral with the pump body 33, through the medium of a tongue or the like 61 (FIG. 1) forming part of the handle.

As appears from FIG. 7, a member 35 is snuggly fitted in the pump body 33 and serves at the same time as a retaining element for a valve ball 36, as a base for a spring 37 and as an element allowing the filling volume of the pump body to be reduced. An element 38 having the shape of a U-packing and made preferably from plastics fulfils the functions of a piston and a seal in the pump body 33. A pressure exerted on the knob 32 ensures the motion of the element 38 and, therefore, the sucking of the reservoir water through a passageway 39 and its spraying through the nozzle 31.

The spray nozzle 31 made almost entirely from plastics will be described very briefly.

It comprises essentially a body 80 in which is screwed a spraying head 81 retaining a delivery valve assembly constituted by a ball 82, a spring 83 and a cup 84.

The operation of the spray nozzle 31 associated with the pump 30 will now be described briefly. When the knob 31 is pressed, the water contained in the pump body 33 is delivered through the base 34 and pushes back the ball 82 of the nazzle 31, so that the water escapes in the form of tiny droplets through the orifice 85 of the spraying head 81. When the knob 32 is released, the ball 82 returns onto its seat and the ball 36 located in the pump body 33 and initially closing the passageway 39 rises and allows the water in the reservoir to be sucked through the said passageway. so as to prepare the delivery of the water stored in the pump body 33 into the spray nozzle 31.

As appears more clearly from FIG. 1, the passageway 39 projects into the reservoir and into the bottom of the latter.

It should be noted that the spraying and vapourizing devices just described are assembled in an extremely simple manner, without any sticking or welding, and are constituted by a minimum number of parts, most of which are moulded from plastics.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it is seen that the reservoir 20 comprises a flat portion where the lower and upper walls, respectively 23 and 22, are interconnected, for instance welded or stuck. This flat portion of the reservoir is provided with an orifice 25 through which passes the control shaft of the thermostat 51. The said orifice also allows a tool such as a screwdriver to be passed therethrough. Lastly, the reservoir is clamped at its rear portion between projections provided on the handle (not shown) and a nose 27 of the said handle located at the level of the upper wall 22 of the reservoir. This upper portion of the reservoir may also be provided with means for the positioning of a plate 28 bearing marks, the said plate being stuck to the reservoir wall or, preferably, simply clamped between the reservoir and the handle.

it should also be noted that the housing 1 advantageously fulfils the function of a heat screen between the sole-plate and the reservoir.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the form of embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given by way of example only.

The invention comprises all the means constituting technical equivalents to the means described as well as their combinations, should the latter be carried out according to the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A flat iron of the vapour-generating and waterspraying type, comprising in combination: a sole-plate having steam escape orifices; a water reservoir mounted above the sole-plate and including a filling orifice; a housing secured to the said sole-plate, a handle for the flat iron carried by said sole plate, said reservoir being made of transparent plastics, having an elongated shape and extending over substantially the whole length of said sole-plate above said housing fitted on the latter and forming a heat screen between the soleplate and the reservoir; a spray nozzle; a pump sucking the water from the said reservoir and projecting it ahead of the flat iron through said spray nozzle; a vapourizing device allowing the water to flow very slowly on the sole-plate of the flat iron in order that it may vapourize thereon and the steam thus formed may escape through said steam escape orifices in the said sole-plate; a thermostat for the control of the heating temperature of the sole-plate; and an unlosable plug adapted to close said filling orifice, said plug being moulded from an elastomer material and comprising resilient bond means extending from said plug and retaining member at the outer end of said bond means.

2. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir comprises a substantially central flat portion where the upper and bottom walls of the reservoir are interconnected and where at least one orifice is provided for the passage of a thermostat shaft.

3. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said uniosable plug comprises a plug member, an elastomer sealing member, a small plate and screw means to effect radial expansion of said sealing member between the member and the plate at the level of the filling orifice of the reservoir.

4. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir is traversed by a moulded member bearing upon the lower face of the said reservoir and containing said vapourizing device.

5. A flat iron according to claim 4, wherein said moulded member contains a needle valve.

6. A flat iron according to claim 1 including a moulded member and a flat iron handle, a handle cover and a single fastening screw and wherein the said moulded member is retained against the flat-iron handle by said single fastening screw which also retains the handle cover.

7. A flat iron according to claim 1, including a needle valve for the vapourizing device which opens into the sole-plate, a sealing element upon which said valve bears, said element forming a distance piece between the lower face of the reservoir and a closing plate of the sole-plate.

8. A flat iron according to claim 7 including a seating member comprising an inclined guiding portion which forms a seat for said needle valve.

9. A flat iron according to claim 8, wherein the said needle valve is resiliently biased against the said seat member, and includes a pin engaging the said inclined 3,733,725 7 8 guide portion so as to cause the needle valve to move 11. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said VeniCallY during its rotation spray nozzle includes-a nozzle body and a member 10. A flat iron according to claim 1, including a 1 d th I bod and a v a1 6 ball chamber located in the sole-plate and provided with a Snug y l e m e e y v bottom wall sloping slightly towards the from and the 5 nozzle body forming a retaining element for said valve underface of the said sole-plate, and a needle valve opening into said chamber. :r a: 

1. A flat iron of the vapour-generating and water-spraying type, comprising in combination: a sole-plate having steam escape orifices; a water reservoir mounted above the sole-plate and including a filling orifice; a housing secured to the said soleplate, a handle for the flat iron carried by said sole plate, said reservoir being made of transparent plastics, having an elongated shape and extending over substantially the whole length of said sole-plate above said housing fitted on the latter and forming a heat screen between the sole-plate and the reservoir; a spray nozzle; a pump sucking the water from the said reservoir and projecting it ahead of the flat iron through said spray nozzle; a vapourizing device allowing the water to flow very slowly on the sole-plate of the flat iron in order that it may vapourize thereon and the steam thus formed may escape through said steam escape orifices in the said sole-plate; a thermostat for the control of the heating temperature of the sole-plate; and an unlosable plug adapted to close said filling orifice, said plug being moulded from an elastomer material and comprising resilient bond means extending from said plug and retaining member at the outer end of said bond means.
 2. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir comprises a substantially central flat portion where the upper and bottom walls of the reservoir are interconnected and where at least one orifice is provided for the passage of a thermostaT shaft.
 3. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said unlosable plug comprises a plug member, an elastomer sealing member, a small plate and screw means to effect radial expansion of said sealing member between the member and the plate at the level of the filling orifice of the reservoir.
 4. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir is traversed by a moulded member bearing upon the lower face of the said reservoir and containing said vapourizing device.
 5. A flat iron according to claim 4, wherein said moulded member contains a needle valve.
 6. A flat iron according to claim 1 including a moulded member and a flat iron handle, a handle cover and a single fastening screw and wherein the said moulded member is retained against the flat-iron handle by said single fastening screw which also retains the handle cover.
 7. A flat iron according to claim 1, including a needle valve for the vapourizing device which opens into the sole-plate, a sealing element upon which said valve bears, said element forming a distance piece between the lower face of the reservoir and a closing plate of the sole-plate.
 8. A flat iron according to claim 7 including a seating member comprising an inclined guiding portion which forms a seat for said needle valve.
 9. A flat iron according to claim 8, wherein the said needle valve is resiliently biased against the said seat member, and includes a pin engaging the said inclined guide portion so as to cause the needle valve to move vertically during its rotation.
 10. A flat iron according to claim 1, including a chamber located in the sole-plate and provided with a bottom wall sloping slightly towards the front and the underface of the said sole-plate, and a needle valve opening into said chamber.
 11. A flat iron according to claim 1, wherein said spray nozzle includes a nozzle body and a member snugly fitted in the nozzle body and a valve ball, said nozzle body forming a retaining element for said valve ball. 